MESSAGE
FROM THE DEAN
As we met this month with our Atkinson Advisory Board, I was so impressed with their ability to help us in our decision making, and their desire to work with us to help make our plans and dreams a reality. These are all successful people who have risen to positions of prominence in various organizations, and they certainly add a perspective we need as we move towards the future.

This month also brought the visit of Bruce Peterson, our Executive in Residence, and a Senior Vice President for Wal-Mart. He spoke to our MBA students about corporate success, to be sure, but also about the qualities necessary for personal success in a growing and successful organization. As I listened to Bruce speak, and reflected on the collective wisdom of our AGSM Advisory Board, it occurred to me how many of our alums have similar stories to tell. How great it would be if we can start to share more of these kinds of experiences with each other, within our Atkinson community.

So I would like to ask each of you to help us – by sharing your stories, information about your successes both personally and professionally. We need your support in this critical time, and we need you to help our school as we build our foundation and expand our operation. It is really a two-way street. We want to give you news about our program, and build our reputation in the world. This helps add to the value of your degree. At the same time, we need you to give back in the form of ideas, information, job leads, and referrals.

So as you get our Dean’s Report this month, take a look at the back flap. Think about ways you can connect with us. Help us to keep track of you, of course – but also make an effort to keep up with your school and your classmates. Call one of your old professors, make plans to attend an alumni event, volunteer or suggest someone as a speaker or potential financial supporter of the school.

I can promise you we will do our part to make this MBA program the best of its kind in the Northwest. We will keep up our branding/awareness efforts to all our constituencies. I hope you will continue to help us to spread the good word, and keep us informed of your progress as well. Thanks for reading.

- Jim Goodrich

ALUMNI NEWS

FAMILY
ADDITIONSBRIAN SCHMIDT (M’98) and Carri Brown have welcomed their first child, Owen Lee Schmidt. Owen Lee Schmidt was born Sept. 29, 2004 at 8 lbs 7 oz and 21 inches long. “Both baby and Mom are doing great!” Brian is currently working as a General Manager at Olsen Homes, Inc. Read more about his work in the “Updates” section.

MICHAEL FORESEE (M’96) and his wife, Lisa, have just returned from China with a baby girl named Brooke. Michael works for the State of Oregon as a Business Finance Officer in the Oregon Economic Development Department. He and his family live in Salem.

MICHAEL A. MUNSON (JD/MM ’94) and his wife Danica Munson, of Chicago Illinois are expecting a baby in the spring. Mike is a sole practitioner in Chicago focusing his practice on energy related law. This will be their first child.

CHRISTY VAUGHN (SEWELL) (M’92) and her husband, Chad, are expecting their first child mid-November. They reside in Boise, Idaho. Christy is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PCS Edventures.

In October, ALICE ALEXANDER (M’82) and her husband, Fred Mosher, adopted Alexander Jose Mosher from Guatemala. Alice writes, “He is a healthy, happy three-month old boy, who is adored by his three-year old sister from Cambodia, and his parents, of course!” Alice will be on “adoption” leave until January 3 and can be reached at femosher@erols.com.

STEVE BRADY (M’86), his wife Jodie, and their 2 1/2 year old daughter Megan have welcomed another little girl into their family – Carly Michelle Brady was born at 3:49 PM on October 21st, 2004. She was 6 lbs 14 oz and 19 3/4 inches long. Mom and Dad are re-adjusting to sleep deprivation and Megan is adjusting to a new princess in the household!

NUPTIALS & ENGAGEMENTSKIM (WEIL) JONES (M’02) married Greg Jones (CLA ’02), Associate Director of Annual Giving at Willamette University, on October 2, 2004 at Cone Chapel. ERNESTO TOSKOVIC (M’02) and DENNIS AYRES (M’02), Kim’s former classmates at Atkinson, were also in attendance. The reception was at Creekside Golf Club and the two-week honeymoon was spent in romantic Italy and on the beaches of southern Spain. “Our wedding and honeymoon couldn’t have been more perfect,” Kim writes. She has been working as the HR Manager for a group of statewide property management companies called the Jennings Group for the past year. Greg and Kim just bought an older home in northeast Salem and currently live there with their dog, Buddy.

TOM FEELY (M’79) is engaged to Jennifer LaFlamme of Milwaukie, Oregon. The date has not yet been set. Tom’s son Bryan, the first all Atkinson child, is a freshman at the University of Oregon majoring in Business Administration. Daughter Sarah is a freshman at Rex Putnam High School.

DIVYENDRA SINGH (M’03) is happy to announce his engagement to Anchal on October 24th. Div was visiting family and friends over in India where he meet Ancha. It is an arranged affair which is still prevalent in India. “I am very happy and excited about this new change that has come in my life and I am still trying to get the hang of things,” writes Div. Anchal is a graphic specialist and is currently working in India after completing her education in the UK. Div is currently working as a Business Analyst for a publishing firm in New York. The marriage is going to take place in the winter of 2005. The official date has not been decided yet. Both are families are very excited about the alliance.

UPDATESMICHAEL WOOLFOLK (M’90) is vice president and senior currency strategist at The Bank of New York in New York City. In his ninth year now at BNY, Michael is currently the world’s most frequently cited authority on foreign exchange according to Factiva Inc, and is regularly seen on CNBC and Bloomberg television. The January 2005 issue of Global Finance magazine ranks BNY as the #1 bank in the world for foreign exchange research.

Atkinson alum and former assistant dean, MARK GREEN, (M’92) celebrated the successful completion and grand opening of the nation’s first large scale Entrepreneurial Residential College at Weatherford Hall. As the A.E. Coleman Chair in Family Business, Director, Austin Family Business Program & Executive Director of the Austin Entrepreneurship Program at the College of Business at Oregon State University, Green was responsible for raising $6 million in private donations, establishing the program with 290 entrepreneurial students and creating the formal and informal curriculum in less than 24 months. He continues his work with family businesses and invites AGSM alums to learn more about family businesses by visiting www.familybusinessonline.org.

In addition to his new baby (as mentioned under the “Family Additions” section above), BRIAN SCHMIDT (M’98), General Manger of Olsen Homes, Inc. is also celebrating his 6th year at Olsen Homes, Inc. and the company’s 25th year as a participant in the Street of Dreams. Come visit Olsen Homes in August 2005 at the Street of Dreams in the Stafford area outside of Wilsonville/Tualatin.

TROY GIES (M’03) has joined the City of Oakland Park, Florida as the City’s Budget Analyst. He and his wife, OLGA TORRES (M’03) reside in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.

JOHN S. RAZOR (JD/MM ’95) a sole practitioner in Salem Oregon, focusing his practice on civil rights and employment law, successfully argued an age discrimination case before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (Enlow v. Salem-Keizer Yellow Cab). The court is considering his petition for en banc review related to a portion of the panel decision.

RICHARD MUSSLER (M’89) recently published a new book, entitled, “Twisted Texan and Other Stories.” It will soon be released in bookstores and can be pre-ordered from the publisher at PublishAmerica.com. As quoted on the book jacket, “A dreamer, alive and well in the Lone Star State, shares his stories with style, guile and wit. Stories of lost innocence and lost love, of murder, retribution, and a core philosophy that defines the man. Tales that charm the heart and melt the soul, that will make you laugh and make you cry. Each is told with a twist, and the mystical nature of these tales never fails to astound, entertain and amaze. Open this book and discover worlds that only a Texan could ever imagine, tales told as only a Texan can.”

TED ROMANOWITZ (M’90, CLA ’86) recently joined the Digital Home Platform Marketing team within Intel’s Desktop Products Group. Ted will manage Go to Market activities including product planning, platform positioning and the design win process. Ted joined Intel in 1999, helping drive the transition to Gigabit Ethernet networking and has also been responsible for marketing wireless, storage and modular communication technologies for Intel.

Healthwise has named A. JAMES BALKINS III (M’79, L’79) to the new position of chief strategic officer and general counsel. Jim has been charged with developing a not-for-profit strategy to maintain the Healthwise lead as the nation's primary provider of evidence-based health information for consumers. He will also serve as in-house legal counsel and will provide business and operational analysis for Healthwise. Jim brings substantial leadership experience from Boise Cascade Corporation and its subsidiary Boise Office Solutions. In his various positions, he served as division chief financial officer and corporate secretary, led strategic planning and development, and provided extensive securities and finance legal work. Jim also served on Healthwise's Board of Directors for nearly 15 years. He has stepped down from the Board to take his new position on the executive team.

ATKINSON NEWS

Willamette University Receives Premier Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter Award
The Willamette University collegiate chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma has been recognized as a Premier Chapter for its superior level of membership acceptance and promotional activities during the 2003-2004 academic year. Atkinson was honored with this award at the WASCB conference earlier this month in Las Vegas, where Dean Goodrich accepted the award.

By receiving the Premier Chapter award, the Willamette University chapter is being recognized for its high level of success in recruiting top business students into the Society. Each year, collegiate Beta Gamma Sigma chapters extend invitations to the top 7 percent of business juniors, the upper 10 percent of business seniors, and the highest 20 percent of business graduate students. Chapters granted Premier status have had at least 85 percent of their invitations accepted by their top undergraduate and graduate level students. Acceptance rates are taken from the 2003-2004 school year, from which collegiate chapters were required to submit information before being considered a Premier Chapter. According to information submitted by the Willamette University chapter, 100 percent of invited students chose to join Beta Gamma Sigma in 2003-2004.

With Premier Chapter status, the Willamette University BGS collegiate chapter will now be eligible to award a $1,000 Beta Gamma Sigma scholarship in the 2005-2006 academic year. The chapter is also pre-qualified for consideration as an Outstanding Chapter, the highest honor attainable by a collegiate chapter. Willamette University’s Beta Gamma Sigma chapter will also receive a certificate recognizing its Premier accomplishments. Of the 417 Beta Gamma Sigma chapters currently established on college and university campuses, only 62 were recognized as a Premier Chapter in 2004.

Atkinson Included In “Best Business Schools” Book
The Atkinson School has been included in the 2005 edition of “The Best Business Schools” book. The Atkinson School is profiled along side of schools such as Stanford, Northwestern, etc. “The Best Business Schools” is a student opinion-driven publication designed to give prospective MBA students an insider’s view on the best MBA programs in the United States. The book is a Princeton Review publication, published by Random House and available at Amazon.com and most major bookstores.

Mentor Program Gets Under Way
The Atkinson Mentor Program is an opportunity for Atkinson students to gain career insights, build their network and increase their knowledge about strategies for success in the business world. The program begins November 4th with a reception for students and mentors to get acquainted and runs through April of 2005. “We have a great crew of mentors for this year’s program,” Career Services Director BETH URSIN notes. This year’s 35 mentors come from 30 different companies and organizations, such as, Bonneville Power Administration, City of Salem, ESCO, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Key Bank, New York Life Insurance, Northwest Natural, and Statesman Journal, among others. If you are interested in finding out more about the Mentor Program, please contact Beth at 503-375-5309 or eursin@willamette.edu.

Executive Development Center
The Mini-MBA program, offered through Cascade Employers Association, continues into its second module: Developing New Business Ideas.

Businesses require a constant flow of innovative ideas to maintain growth, competitiveness, and profitability. This module focuses on techniques in generating quality ideas, selecting those that have the highest odds of success, and presenting them in formats that will attract resources necessary to implement them. The module begins on November 5, taught in Wilsonville by Atkinson Executive Professor Bob Rose. For details contact www.cascadeemployers.com.

The EDC and the Oregon Intercultural Management Institute of Tokyo International University of America welcomed this week eight executives from SONY Corporation’s procurement division. Working with Atkinson faculty Elliot Maltz, Ken Murphy, and Ken Smith, the participants are immersed in a week-long, custom-designed program on supply chain management.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Business Women’s Forum
This forum has been created to present a woman’s perspective on business, but EVERYONE is welcome to come, listen, and participate in every event. On Nov. 9th, 2004 from 5:45 to 8:00pm, the Business Women’s Forum will host a dinner and discussion at La Margarita Restaurant, located at 545 Ferry Street SE, Salem. The topic of discussion will be: Atkinson Faculty Women – Our Resources Closest to Home, featuring Professors Lisbeth Claus, Debra Ringold, and Jennifer Roney, as they talk about their careers and views on leadership.

These events are laid back (casual business dress) and meant to provide a respectful and engaging way to broaden ALL of our horizons. Contact Amanda (ahemmert@willamette.edu) for more information.

International Dinner Party
Have you ever had more than 15 kinds of food from different countries for dinner? Are you interested in trying them? Here comes a special opportunity for you! Every year all the Atkinson Community composed of students, faculty members, staff, and alumni are invited to attend an international dinner party organized by the Atkinson International Graduate Students Association (IGSA) and funded by the Atkinson Student Association (ASA) and Dean Goodrich.

International students will cook and bring their national food to share. There will also be performances related to international students’ traditions, cultures, and special talents. The event will be held on November 19, 2004 at 5:30pm in the Montag Den (Montag Center) at Willamette University. (http://www.willamette.edu/wu_directions_print.pdf)

Every member of the Atkinson community is welcome to join the party and bring food from different countries. Don’t miss this fun, annual party! Come taste food cooked by your international friends and meet with the Dean, faculty members, and students. At the same time, you’ll learn to understand more about your international friends’ cultures. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of IGSA:

Consul General of Canada to Visit Atkinson
Jeffrey N. Parker, Consul General of Canada for Seattle and Anchorage will visit Professor Ilan Vertinsky’s class, “Managing Across Borders and Cultures” on Wednesday, November 10 (appropriately on Canada Day.) He has a wide range of experience in senior managerial positions with the Federal Government of Canada and applied expertise in key market sectors of particular importance to the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Western Canada. Immediately prior to his appointment as Consul General, Mr. Parker served for four years as Executive Director of Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) an agency of Industry Canada responsible for a $2.5 billion research and development portfolio in advanced technologies. Under Mr. Parker’s leadership, TPC made hundreds of successful targeted investments in private sector research and development initiatives, investments that stimulated commercialization of leading-edge Canadian technologies, leveraged an additional $10.1 billion in private sector innovation spending, and produced tangible economic, social and environmental benefits for all Canadians.

PAST EVENTS

Mr. Fareed Lutfi, Director of the Dubai International Financial Center, and General Consultant for the Dubai Islamic Insurance & Reinsurance Company, was a guest lecturer at the Atkinson School (October 8, 2004). Students were able to learn about the various activities of the newly established Financial Center and interact with Mr. Lutfi on a personal basis. Mr. Lutfi was in the U.S. for a meeting in Washington and to visit his daughter, Aliah, who is a junior at Willamette University.

2nd Annual Capital Business Forum Featuring Dr. Bob Goodman A Success
On October 14, Atkinson partnered with Morgan Stanley to bring nationally recognized economist Dr. Bob Goodman to campus. The event was highly attended by Salem community members as well as Atkinson students and offered a unique insight to the nations ‘new economy’ as well as a great networking opportunity. This partnership was made possible by Atkinson alumnus CHARLIE PECK (M’77), manager of the local Morgan Stanley branch.

Executive In Residence Program Welcomes Senior Vp Of Wal-Mart -Perishables
Atkinson Graduate School of Management welcomed Bruce Peterson, Senior Vice-President and GMM of Perishables for Wal-Mart as its Executive in Residence October 26 and 27. Mr. Peterson was welcomed with a reception attended by Atkinson students, faculty, Dean Jim Goodrich and Willamette University president, Lee Pelton. Mr. Peterson spent the day working directly with students and presenting on such topics as “Grocery Retailing and Today’s Consumer” and “New Products and the Evolving Consumer”. Mr. Peterson was very open and candid in receiving comments and questions about recent Wal-Mart issues in the news. This unique and exciting opportunity for students was made possible by JIM VANGELOS (M’79), who helped Atkinson make the connection with Bruce Peterson and joined him during his visit. Atkinson hopes to continue building the Executive in Residence program and has a goal of bringing two executives from leading companies in the nation to campus each academic year.

FACULTY NEWS

Dr. Smith Goes To Washington
On October 26, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Information Science KEN SMITH was invited to Washington D.C. to discuss federal accounting standards regarding Generational Accounting. Dr. Smith and his colleague Dr. Paul Klumpes (Imperial College in London, UK) met with Paul Walker, the Comptroller General of the GAO (Government Accountability Office – www.gao.gov) and Wendy Comes, the Executive Director of the FASAB (Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board – www.fasab.gov). Smith and Klumpes are preparing a series of academic and professional articles related to the discussion.

Dr. Maltz Goes To Mexico
Professor of Marketing ELLIOT MALTZ just completed a week in Puebla, Mexico working on the Jimmy Carter Build in Conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. Elliot along with 2,000 other volunteers built 75 houses for low income families. He also made many friends from all over the world.

FAMILY ADDITIONS
Debra Spears-Turner (JD/MBA’05) and her husband, Ryan Turner, welcomed a baby girl into the world, Kamryn Alexandra Shelby Turner, on October 7, 2004. Kamryn weighed 7lbs, 14oz. and was 20 ½ inches long. Mom and baby are both doing well and Debra is already back at school!

STAFF NEWS

Atkinson Recorder/Academic Services Assistant JANET JOBES will be attending PACRAO’s annual conference held November 7-10, 2004, in Tucson, AZ. She has been asked to facilitate a forum for Professional and Graduate Institutions. These forums provide members a time to gather with their counterparts from institutions of similar size or affiliation to discuss issues of current interest, find solutions to problems, and share professional wisdom. PACRAO is the Pacific American Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers with more than 1,500 members representing approximately 400 institutions. PACRAO members are drawn from the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, the territory of Guam and provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Are you interested in changing careers soon? Looking for another job? Here are a few tips on how NOT to apply for a job. Check out these mistakes found on resumes. Disclaimer: These are not from resumes of any member of the Atkinson community.

Resume Mistakes

“Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.”

“Education: College, August 1880-May 1984.”

“Develop and recommend an annual operating expense fudget.”

“I’m a rabid typist.”

“Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain operation.”

Reasons for Leaving your Previous Job:

“Responsibility makes me nervous.”

“They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn’t work under those conditions.”

“Note: Please don’t misconstrue my 14 jobs as ‘job-hopping’. I have never quit a job.”

“Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches.”

“I was working for my mom until she decided to move.”

“The company made me a scapegoat – just like my three previous employers.”

Comments/Corrections/Suggestions: I encourage and appreciate that you send your thoughts, comments, criticisms, corrections or suggestions about your newsletter to Comments. Corrections will be addressed in the following issue and all your comments or suggestions will be thoughtfully considered.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the Atkinson Graduate School Administration or Willamette University.

Mission: As an effort to foster one of Atkinson’s significant purposes – to establish a close community – ATKINSONews’ mission is to provide an accurate and timely forum for disseminating current news and events involving the school and its current and former community members.

Submissions: You may submit any news item pertaining to your academic life or significant personal milestones including (but not limited to) promotions, awards, accolades, engagements, marriages and babies. Also, if you know of a near future event you think might be of interest to the Atkinson community, submit that item as well. I will try to include all appropriate submissions as time and space allow. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday noon, the day before publication (see below). Please send your submissions electronically to ATKINSONews.

Subscriptions: The ATKINSONews is a monthly newsletter specific to the Atkinson Graduate School of Management of Willamette University, Salem, Oregon. It is usually distributed to the current Atkinson community, subscribed alumni and Willamette University administrators via email on the first Thursday of the month during the academic year. Recipients wishing to unsubscribe –excluding current community members– may do so by submitting your request to Opt Out. Current Atkinson community members cannot unsubscribe but can instruct their email program to purge or block the newsletter via Message Filters (Netscape) or Message Rules (Microsoft) applications. And last, please send notification of email address changes to List.